Industry and Inventions

Website: Industry

At the turn of the 20th century, Wayne County was the center of an amazing amount of creativity and inventiveness, leading to the creation of products that changes the lives of people around the world. We're featuring some of the historical highlights.

To learn more about the current industries located in Wayne County, visit the Econocmic Development Corporation of Wayne County.

Gaar Scott Steam Traction Engines and Thrashers were manufactured in Richmond.

C. Francis Jenkins (1867 - 1934) - First Motion Picture Projector and early television inventor - Richmond native.   Invented on a bet that 5 gaited horses could have all four feet in the air at the same time The animated movie was shown in downtown Richmond in an upstairs apartment over a local jewelry store. June 6, 1894, in Richmond, was the first public showing of a motion picture. C. Francis Jenkins - More, The Baird/Jenkins System, Television History - The First 75 Years, Adventures in Cybersound, Who's Who of Victorian Cinema, Rotary lens apparatus for C. Francis Jenkins's motion picture camera, W3XK -- America's first television station, Dictionary of Inventors

Home of early automobiles - The Pilot, The Westcott, The Richmond, The Rodefeld, The Davis and The Richmond "Steam Runabout" were part of Indiana's Automotive Heritage.

Home of the former Starr Piano Company, Richmond, Indiana.

Gennett Record Company produced historic jazz recordings.

Dillie-McGuire made Richmond, Indiana the Lawnmower Capitol of the World in the 1930's and 1940's. (History of the Lawn Mower) (Residence of Elwood McGuire)

Micajah C. Henley did much to  perfect the Roller Skate during the 1880's in Richmond, Indiana.

Indiana Railroads played an important part in the industrialization of this area.

Wayne Works for many years made Richmond synonymous with school buses.

More information about local industry can be found at Morrisson-Reeves Library.

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Did You Know?

Richmond was once known as "the lawnmower capital" because of the lawn mowers manufactured here from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Manufacturers included Motomower, Dille-McGuire and F&N.